I know “money doesn’t grow on trees” but I feel like I have planted a tree, fertilized it, talked kind to it, so it should give me something. I’m a college student and I am doing my best to make do with what little resources I have. I receive financial aid for tuition and books and I work to help my mom and dad “house” me. My single indulgence is having my nails done, which was also the extent of my social life. I imagine there are other college students who also struggle financially, yet there are many who enjoy their academic journey, get involved in school activities, and do so with confidence. I investigated the matter and found a single resource that showed how others bear the fruits of their labor when their trees, like mine, do not grow money.

I’m not asking that the fruits of my labor be pricey, just reliable and presentable. I wish to disprove the cliché, “you get what you pay for.” There must be an inexpensive car out there that runs and looks well or designer clothing at discounted prices, or “trash to treasure” furnishings for my humble abode. Securing these things will boost my ego and then I too can tackle college with at least an aesthetic air of confidence.

I have let myself be affected by the inevitable comparisons, judgments, and unfair standards that society makes of one another, whether in high school, media, or entertainment. These are hardships that I believe college can teach me how to overcome or possibly take action against them. I don’t want to go through college “keepin’ up with the Joneses” why I have a hard enough time keeping up with textbook editions, which, by the way, seem to stem from academics keepin’ up with their own neighborhood of Joneses. But I digress, let me get back to the college resource I discovered.

The college resource I found is a website that not only helps me find jobs but also wheels of all sorts, including bikes, and scooters. It also directs me to clothing stores that offer discount prices and shows me how to decorate my room on a budget. I have taken advantage of their resources and stretched my dollar to the point where I am now able to go to the movies on Friday nights and even afford a computer! I am truly impressed that my school cares so much about me and it really does try to make my college experience the best it can be. I would love for it to limit the textbook editions but I should be careful what I wish for because I may be a future scholar trying to sell it on one of my own textbooks.